The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) expresses its deep anger at the tragic killing of three young Black learners in Dalton, KwaZulu-Natal, by a white farmer who allegedly ran them over with his vehicle. Not only is this a criminal act but it is also a true reflection of the deep-rooted, racist violence that continues to plague South Africa.
This heinous crime, which has devastated the families concerned and the larger community, has exposed the real violence in this country. It is the violence against a landless Black majority still subjected to the brutality of white landowners who view Black lives as disposable. The incident in Dalton is not isolated. Across the country, we have witnessed multiple cases where white farmers have targeted Black people.
In 2017, two white men in Mpumalanga were arrested for forcing a young Black man into a coffin and threatening to set it alight; in 2016, two white farmers in North West dragged a 9-year-old Black boy behind a bakkie after accusing him of stealing a sunflower; and in 2024 a six year old was run over by a white farmer in the Western Cape after being accused him of stealing an orange.
These are a few of many more, highlighting a clear pattern of systemic violence against Black people, especially the young, by individuals emboldened by centuries of unchallenged white supremacy. However, even in the face of this horror, South Africans are forced to endure false narratives of so-called “white genocide.” These lies, peddled to distract from the truth of white impunity, are used to silence Black pain and shield the real perpetrators of violence. In reality, it is Black people, particularly the rural poor, who face daily humiliation, abuse, and now, in Dalton, murder.
The EFF is further appalled to learn that following the murder of these young learners, the suspect’s family allegedly offered R20,000 and gifts to one of the grieving families.
This is an immense insult that seeks to cheapen Black life and buy silence.
Therefore, the EFF demands justice for these young learners and their families. While the local police have acknowledged the arrest of the man in question, we demand a thorough investigation, and prosecution of the white farmer responsible for this massacre. We further demand a full investigation into why such acts continue with impunity in a democratic South Africa, as Dalton community members have stated that this was not this farmer’s first violent incident.
The EFF sends our deepest condolences to the families of the victims, and we assure them we stand with them and will do so until they receive justice in its fullest form.
The EFF supports land expropriation without compensation to address historical injustices.
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